LMC’s champions of the gridiron

Mustang fantasy football lineup

Chijioke Onyeagucha and William Trowbridge

January 29, 2026

Los Medanos College football didn’t just make history this season — they put up video-game numbers. The kind of stats that make fantasy football fans double-check their screen. And while the Golden State Bowl trophy offered a real-world reward, the team’s offensive explosion inspired a different question on campus: What would LMC’s season look like if it were scored like a fantasy football league?

Fantasy sports have grown into one of the biggest fan experiences in the world, allowing people to “own” teams of real athletes and compete based on weekly stats. Instead of cheering only for a final score, fans track yards, touchdowns, receptions, fumbles and more. Points are earned through production, not just wins and losses.

For this project, we used one of the most popular scoring formats in fantasy football: PPR (Points Per Reception). In PPR, every catch is worth one additional point. That means a short three-yard pass still matters — because receptions are rewarded, not just yardage or touchdowns. Players who catch often, run efficiently or rack up all-purpose stats become even more valuable. The goal? Measure a player’s full impact, not just their highlight moments.

To build our fantasy rankings, we treated the Mustangs roster like a full fantasy league. Standard PPR scoring includes one point for every reception and every 10 rushing yards. Passing touchdowns are worth four points while rushing and receiving touchdowns are worth six. For every fumble or interception a player makes, two points will be taken away.

Defensive production was factored in too, using a simplified team-defense format that rewarded turnovers, points allowed and key stops in big games. With these rules, we calculated what Los Medanos’ athletes would have earned if the season were played on a fantasy app instead of on the field.

The results lined up with what fans witnessed every Saturday.

Head coach Chris Shipe said the identity of this group showed up long before bowl week. “Resiliency, you know, we battled,” Shipe said. “We came out this season, we played well. Our team worked hard and they deserve everything.” For Shipe, winning LMC’s first bowl game since 2017 meant more than a trophy. “We talked about that in January. We kept saying, you guys could be different here, and to be able to say that’s the best team in LMC history, with 10 wins, is huge.”

Quarterback Aidan Crawford’s 3,379 passing yards and 45 touchdowns would dominate any fantasy league. Wideouts Ryan McKendry and Larenzo Mayfield, who combined for 28 touchdowns, became the kind of PPR monsters fans dream about. Running backs Kevin Fowler and Jordan Barbadillo piled up 1,577 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, giving LMC one of the most balanced attacks in California.

The defense sealed games with turnovers, red-zone stops and toughness. “They were going to make adjustments… but we found a little extra,” Shipe said.

In a real season or a fantasy one, the Mustangs proved it: history is earned, point by point.

Below is a breakdown of each position player and the impact they made on the field.

Position Player Breakdown

QB: A. Crawford 31.72 pts

Throws for 5 TDs, 239 yards

Quarterback Aidan Crawford delivered one of the best performances of the season in LMC’s bowl win over Coalinga, throwing for 293 yards and five touchdowns

But even with numbers that jump off the page, Crawford was honest about how wild the game felt as momentum swung back and forth.

The moment that defined his day came late, when the Mustangs faced a risky third-and-one call.

“Our coach was unbelievably bold” Crawford said. “We should have run it… but we decided to throw it. We throw it deep, and my receiver takes it for an 80-yard touchdown. Insane. That’s the game.”

In the end, he summed it up simply: “I love this team. The offensive line, running backs, coaches. These are the best coaches I’ve had so far.”
RB: J. Barbadillo 38.00 pts

Rushes for 4 TDs, 140 yards

With his performance during LMC’s 76-29 victory over Cabrillo, runningback Jordan Barbadillo was able to showcase his great explosiveness while maintaining a sense of calmness that made the statline appear almost routine.

Barbadillo’s eight carries were enough to earn him 140 rushing yards and four touchdowns. The most impressive part of all this was that he made everything look so easy.

His teammates fed off of this energy too as they celebrated every big run as if it was the first touchdown of the day.

His poise and composure after the game and the way he went about his business, as if this was just another day at the office clearly shows why he has become such a consistent contributor to the Mustangs’ all season.
RB: K. Fowler 20.20 pts

Rushes for 1 TD, 124 yards

Kevin Fowler showed yet again why he is a key player for the Mustangs. He showed this during the Mustangs’ rout of 49-20 against San Joaquin Delta. In this game, Fowler put up a stat line of 14 attempts carrying the ball for 124 yards, 1 touchdown, and even 1 reception of 8 yards.

He was able to repeatedly complete first downs by converting short-yard plays into long gains by breaking tackles and maneuvering his way through the defense off of small gaps.

Fowler was the go-to player whenever the Mustangs needed his momentum to keep the offense going or even when they needed to gain a first down.

He is able to elevate the entire team with the type of performance he had that day. His toughness, patience and ability to show how much he means to this offense.
WR: L. Mayfield 51.10 pts

Catches 4 TDs, 211 yards

Wide receiver Larenzo Mayfield had a historic performance in the biggest game of the year for the Mustangs.

On November 22nd he tallied 6 catches, 211 yards, and took 4 trips to the end zone in the process.“Man, the game went perfect,” Mayfield said.

His favorite moment was the one that sealed the bowl game victory, the deep, go-ahead touchdown with 1:26 left in the fourth quarter for his 4th and final score of the day.

“Game-winner touchdown, fourth quarter, final drive,” he said. “I knew I was gonna catch it. I ran a post, it was wide open.”

This bowl game meant more to this team than just another win on their record, this was 8 years in the making, as this was the team’s first bowl game victory since the 2017 season.
WR: R. McKendry 50.50 pts

Catches 3 TDs, 235 yards

Wide receiver Ryan McKendry showed Merced College why he should be considered one of the best wideouts in the NCFC.

McKendry totaled 235 yards in the week one matchup on just nine catches and added three touchdowns for good measure.

Every week, he continues to prove he’s one of the most dangerous players in the conference. When asked about the key to such a dominant showing, McKendry didn’t make it about himself.

“Honestly, the biggest key was preparation. Once I got the ball in space I just made plays. It was really a full team effort, I just did my job,” McKendry said humbly.

His answer fits who he’s been all season, a star who stays grounded. Even as the numbers rise and attention grows, he continues to credit the people around him.
TE: D. Pouncey 17.00 pts

Catches 1 TD, 60 yards

Tight end Darryl Pouncey had a fantastic game against San Joaquin Delta, totaling 5 catches for 60 yards with an end zone trip in the process, but even after one of his best games of the season, he stayed grounded and focused on the bigger picture.

“First off, it all starts with the man above, Jesus Christ,” Pouncey said. He followed it by giving full credit to his teammates, saying, “I also want to say that it wasn’t just me, it was our entire team working together.

My performance in that game was only possible because of what we accomplished as a group.” Pouncey didn’t hesitate to shout out his coaches “We created a new game plan for every opponent, and the Delta game gave me the opportunity to represent and showcase my abilities,” he said.

His performance didn’t just show skill but it showed humility and leadership.
FLEX: A. De 37.20 pts

Catches 2 TDs, 152 yards

Wide receiver Alex De came into the matchup against Siskiyous with something to prove, and he left the field showing exactly why he’s one of the Mustangs’ most reliable recievers.

Finishing the game with 10 catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns, De delivered in every moment his team needed him, especially in a tight 37–34 road win.

But to him, this wasn’t just another game on the schedule, it was personal. “I’d say the key to my performance was definitely fueled by last year’s loss against them,”

You could feel that in the way he played. Every route looked sharp, every catch felt like it came with extra purpose, and every yard he gained pushed LMC closer toward the win.

“I put out as much effort into the game as I could,” he said.
D/ST: Mustangs 10.00

Forces 1 fumble, 4 sacks

The Los Medanos defense showed up in a huge way against Chabot, and their performance was one of the biggest reasons the Mustangs rolled to a 45 –10 win.

Allowing just 10 points, forcing a fumble, and stacking up four sacks. Linebacker Gabe Gonzalez-Kidd said the mindset going in was simple and strong. “I would say our confidence coming into that game with the momentum we had and trusting our guys to all do their job,” he said.

And the unit backed it up all night. Chabot had multiple opportunities to score, but every time they reached the red zone, Mustang defensive players brought their A-game and shot out the rest of Chabot’s momentum.

The trust that existed within the Mustang defense shows in their performance and final score.
K: W. Geer 7.00 pts

Scores 7 extra-point kicks

Will Geer came into the San Joaquin Delta game with something to prove, and he delivered a perfect night, going 7-for-7 on extra points in a big 49-20 win.

Geer had been battling a leg injury for almost half the season.

“I was finally getting my mind and body on the right track that week,” Geer said.

When he was finally able to return to his right leg, the routine and mentality didn’t stop. “I had to work extra on my steps, my form, and on my mentality,” he said.

But what pushed him the most was the belief and support from his teammates.

“My teammates’ motivation the whole week and during the game helped me greatly,” Geer said.

In a long season full of highs and lows, Will Geer reminded everyone exactly what he brings to the field.